BenQ Mobile Devices and Announcements Over the Years

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BenQ's foray into the mobile market began in 2007, marking a significant milestone for the company.

In its early days, BenQ produced a wide range of mobile devices, including smartphones, feature phones, and tablets.

One notable example is the BenQ-Siemens EF81, a Windows Mobile 6.1 smartphone released in 2008.

The EF81 featured a 2.8-inch touchscreen display and a 3.2-megapixel camera.

BenQ continued to innovate in the mobile space, releasing devices with advanced features such as dual SIM support and high-definition video recording.

The company's focus on producing high-quality, user-friendly devices helped it gain a loyal customer base.

Worth a look: BenQ P30

History

BenQ Mobile was formed after Siemens sold its struggling mobile division to BenQ Corporation in June 2005. The deal was worth at least 250 million euros, with Siemens receiving a 2.5% stake in BenQ in return.

The acquisition was completed on October 1, 2005, with Clemens Joos, a German CEO, and Jerry Wang, a Taiwanese chairman, leading the new venture.

Credit: youtube.com, BenQ all Phones Evolution and History 2003-2015

BenQ was chosen by Siemens due to its interest in keeping German locations open, including the headquarters in Munich and manufacturing plants in Kamp-Lintfort and Bocholt.

Before the acquisition, BenQ was already producing mobile phones, including two SymbianUIQ smartphone models and one Windows Mobile smartphone model.

The first handsets under the new BenQ-Siemens brand were launched on January 17, 2006, featuring the EF81, a slim clamshell phone, and the S68, a premium light and compact candybar phone.

The EF51 model was launched in February 2006, featuring music buttons on the front with a flip-down design.

BenQ Mobile introduced the BenQ-Siemens P51 in March 2006, a Windows Mobile 5.0 device that was the only smartphone the company would release.

Devices

BenQ Mobile offers a range of devices to suit different needs and preferences. The BenQ-Siemens E71, for example, is a sleek and durable phone with a Teflon-like finish that barely shows fingerprints.

The E71 features a 240 x 320, 262,144-colour display and a 1.3 megapixel camera with 5x digital zoom. It also has a built-in FM radio and a MicroSD slot for memory cards.

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BenQ-Siemens also released the SL91, a luxury slider phone with a shiny black shell and a 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus. The SL91 also features an RDS-equipped FM radio and a 2in, 240 x 320 display.

Here are some key specs of BenQ Mobile devices:

The BenQ-Siemens EL71 is an ultra-slim slider phone with a 2in QVGA TFT display and 18-bit colour depth. It also features a 1.3 megapixel digital camera and an MP3/AAC+ music player.

One on the Edge, Others 3G

The E71 is a Teflon-like model with a shiny carapace that barely shows up fingerprints. It's an EDGE-enabled handset with a 240 x 320, 262,144-colour display.

The E81 is a compact 3G candybar phone that measures just 10 x 4.7 x 1.7cm. It has a 1.8in, 262,144-colour, 176 x 220 display.

The SL91 slider phone is a UMTS job with a 3.2 megapixel camera and a second, VGA camera for video calls. It has a 2in, 240 x 320 display capable of displaying 16.7m colours.

The E71 will be available in 'dark silver' and 'onyx black' from September in Europe and Latin America, and from November 2006 in Asia.

Devices Announced in 2014

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In 2014, BenQ-Siemens announced several mobile phones, but it's worth noting that the company's product lineup was already established by 2005. The BenQ-Siemens A38 is one of the devices that was part of this lineup.

The BenQ-Siemens C81 was a successor to the Siemens C75, and it's interesting to see how the company evolved its product line. The BenQ-Siemens EF61 was a special edition of the CF61, featuring a unique Blue Whisper color.

Here are some of the devices announced in 2014:

  • BenQ-Siemens EF61 MIA Special Edition, Blue Whisper Color
  • BenQ-Siemens EF71
  • BenQ-Siemens EF81 (Siemens SLV140)
  • BenQ-Siemens EF91 (BenQ-Siemens EF81/82 Successors)
  • BenQ-Siemens M81 (Siemens M75 Successors)

The BenQ-Siemens S68 was a successor to the Siemens SP65, and it's no surprise that it became the best-selling BenQ-Siemens phone.

Devices Announced in 2013

In 2013, BenQ announced a range of mobile devices with varying specifications.

The BenQ devices had dimensions ranging from 66 x 133.9 x 9.99 mm to 135 grams in weight.

One of the key features of these devices was their SoC, with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 being a common choice.

Recommended read: Samsung Galaxy 9 Phone

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The CPU of these devices was powered by 4x 1.4 GHz ARM Cortex-A5 cores.

The GPU in these devices was the Qualcomm Adreno 203, running at 400 MHz.

RAM varied between 1 GB, running at 333 MHz, and storage ranged from 4 GB.

The displays on these devices were 4.5 inches in size, with IPS technology and a resolution of 540 x 960 pixels.

Battery life was a key consideration, with some devices featuring 2000 mAh Li-Ion batteries.

All of the BenQ devices announced in 2013 ran on Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean.

The cameras on these devices had a resolution of 3264 x 2448 pixels, with some capable of recording video at 30 fps.

2016 Announced Devices

In 2016, BenQ announced a range of mobile devices with impressive specs. The devices had dimensions of 75.5 x 154.5 x 8.95 mm.

One notable feature of these devices was their weight, which ranged from 164 g. The SoC used in these devices was the MediaTek MT6735.

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The CPU of these devices was a 4x 1.3 GHz ARM Cortex-A53 processor, with 4 cores. The GPU was the ARM Mali-T720 MP2, running at 600 MHz.

These devices came with either 1 GB, 2 GB, or 640 MHz RAM. Storage options included 8 GB or 16 GB.

The display on these devices was 5.5 inches, with an IPS screen and a resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels at 24 bit. Battery life was impressive, with a 2900 mAh Li-Ion battery.

The operating system used was Android 5.1 Lollipop. The camera on these devices had a resolution of 4160 x 3120 pixels, and could record video at 1920 x 1080 pixels at 30 fps.

Announcements

BenQ Mobile has announced a range of mobile devices over the years, with various features and specifications.

In 2013, BenQ announced a mobile device with a 4.5-inch IPS display, running Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. This device weighed 135g and had 1 GB of RAM.

BenQ also announced a mobile device in 2016 with a 5.5-inch IPS display, running Android 5.1 Lollipop. This device had 1 GB or 2 GB of RAM and a 2900 mAh battery.

2015 Device Announcements

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2015 was a big year for tech, and we saw some exciting device announcements. Apple unveiled the Apple Watch, a wearable device that integrated with the iPhone.

The Apple Watch was announced in September 2014, but it started shipping in April 2015. It was a game-changer for the tech industry.

Google also made waves in 2015 with the announcement of the Google Chromebook Pixel. This laptop was designed specifically for Google's Chrome OS and featured a high-resolution touchscreen display.

The Chromebook Pixel was a premium device that retailed for $1,300. It was a significant investment, but it offered a unique experience.

Microsoft announced the Microsoft Band, a fitness tracker that integrated with the Microsoft Health app. It tracked activity, sleep, and other health metrics.

The Microsoft Band was a decent device, but it ultimately failed to gain traction in the market.

CeBIT and Six Phones

BenQ Mobile kicked off CeBIT 2006 with a football-themed launch of six mobile phones, including a Windows Mobile 5-based smartphone with Wi-Fi and a GPS receiver built in.

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The flagship model is the BenQ-Siemens EL71, an ultra-slim slider phone that's just 16.5mm thick. The EL71 features a 2in. QVGA screen with 18-bit color depth, making for excellent visibility both indoors and out.

The BenQ-Siemens EL71 will be available in April 2006, initially with a 'Quartz-Anthracite' finish, and later in 'Opal Black' too. Pricing is not yet available for the UK.

The Windows Mobile 5-based P51 smartphone is another interesting model, delivering all of the standard business features built into Windows Mobile 5. It also includes Wi-Fi (802.11b/g) and a GPS receiver.

The P51 has a large 2.83in. QVGA TFT touchscreen with 16-bit color depth, and a full QWERTY keypad below the screen for longer data entry tasks. It weighs 170g and BenQ Mobile claims up to 4 hours' talk time and 150 hours on standby.

The P51 will be available in July, at a price yet to be announced.

Here is a list of the six new phones announced by BenQ Mobile at CeBIT 2006:

  • BenQ-Siemens EL71
  • BenQ-Siemens P51
  • BenQ-Siemens C81
  • BenQ-Siemens E61
  • BenQ-Siemens CF61
  • BenQ-Siemens CL71

Sponsorships

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BenQ sponsored the Real Madrid CF football club following a four-year deal. This partnership was a notable move for the company, but unfortunately, it was short-lived.

The BenQ-Siemens name appeared on the shirts of Real Madrid in the 2006-2007 season.

Timeline

BenQ Mobile's journey began in 2001 with the launch of its first mobile phone, the BenQ-Siemens E61, a sleek and feature-rich device that quickly gained popularity among consumers.

The company's early success was built on its innovative designs and user-friendly interfaces, as seen in the BenQ-Siemens SL75, which featured a 2.2-inch color display and a built-in camera.

BenQ Mobile continued to expand its product line, releasing the BenQ-Siemens SL91, a smartphone that boasted a 2.8-inch touchscreen display and support for 3G networks.

2013

In 2013, BenQ announced a list of mobile devices with impressive specs.

The BenQ mobile devices from 2013 had a range of dimensions, with some measuring 66 x 133.9 x 9.99 mm.

Street musicians playing guitar captured through a smartphone camera in an urban setting.
Credit: pexels.com, Street musicians playing guitar captured through a smartphone camera in an urban setting.

One device weighed in at 135 grams.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 (MSM8225Q) was the SoC used in these devices.

Each device had 4x 1.4 GHz ARM Cortex-A5 cores.

The GPU was the Qualcomm Adreno 203, which ran at 400 MHz.

1 GB of RAM was standard, clocked at 333 MHz.

Storage capacity was a modest 4 GB.

The display size varied, but some devices had a 4.5 inch IPS screen with a resolution of 540 x 960 pixels.

Some devices had a 2000 mAh Li-Ion battery.

Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean was the operating system of choice.

At least one device had a camera capable of 3264 x 2448 pixel resolution.

2015

In 2015, the world saw a significant shift in the way people consumed music. Apple Music was launched, allowing users to stream millions of songs for a monthly fee.

The rise of streaming services continued, with Spotify reaching 20 million users in 2015. This marked a turning point in the music industry, as physical album sales began to decline.

The year also saw the release of several highly anticipated albums, including Kendrick Lamar's "To Pimp a Butterfly" and Taylor Swift's "1989". These albums broke records and further cemented the artists' status as musical icons.

Viola Morissette

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Viola Morissette is a seasoned Assigning Editor with a passion for curating high-quality content. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for identifying emerging trends, she has successfully guided numerous articles to publication. Her expertise spans a wide range of topics, including technology and software tutorials, such as her work on "OneDrive Tutorials," where she expertly assigned and edited pieces that have resonated with readers worldwide.

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